Calabash Festival back for 10th staging

The annual Calabash International Literary Festival is back for it’s 10th staging this year and will take place from May 28th – 30th 2010 in Treasure Beach St Elizabeth. The 10th anniversary edition will have authors, writers and performers from all over the globe and another great festival is expected.


alabash

he Calabash Festival states that “the mission of the Calabash International Literary Festival Trust is to transform the literary arts in the Caribbean by being the region’s best-managed producer of workshops, seminars and performances.”




For more information on the Calabash International Literary Festival including a full schedule of events over the three days it is being held, author profiles, accommodation suggestion and much more visit the Calabash International Literary Festival website at calabashfestival.org

Ky-Mani Marley on Book Tour promoting "Dear Dad"

On a previous post I mentioned that Ky-Mani Marley was at issue with co-writer of his autobiography, Dr. Farrah Gray whom he asked to make some changes as regards the book. It seems they have smoothed over the issues as Both men are heavily promoting the book tour. In addition the title has been changed. It now is Dear Dad: The Marley Son Who Persevered From The Streets To Prominence.




Monday March, 22nd
SOBs
Varick Street New York, NY 10014-4809
For More Information call 212-571-4526




Wednesday, March 24th
Barnes and Nobles
Las Vegas
1:00 PM


Thursday April 8th
Barnes and Noble
Kendall Village West
12405 N Kendall Drive, Miami, FL
7:30pm-9:00pm


Sunday April 10th
Barnes & Noble
Waterworks Mall
926 Freeport Road Pittsburgh, PA
2:00pm-3:30pm

Friday, April 16th

Borders Books
Dearborn, MI

7:00PM

Sunday, April 18th

Barnes & Noble
Lennox Town In Columbus, OH

2:00PM

Tuesday, April 20th
Barnes & Noble Eton Collection
Woodmere (Cleveland) OH

7:00PM

Thursday, April 22nd
Borders
Alameda/Oakland, CA

7:00PM

Tuesday April 30th
Barnes & Noble The Grove
Farmers Market
189 Grove Drive, Los Angeles CA
Suite K30
7PM

To find out when Ky-Mani will be in your area visit his Facebook page.

Usain Bolt signs 2-book deal with Harper Sports!

arperSport has acquired two books by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the three-time Olympic gold medallist.

Jonathan Taylor, publishing director of Harper NonFiction, bought world rights in a deal brokered with Bolt's representatives by Chris Nathaniel of NVA Management. The books were bought for an undisclosed sum.

Taylor said: "Welcoming Usain into the HarperSport fold is a huge thrill and a real privilege. He is the most iconic sports star on the planet and our global publishing plans for him are exciting and extensive."

The first book will be an illustrated title, due to be published in October 2010. Described as "an illustrative narrative celebration", it will look at Bolt's record breaking career to date, his Caribbean roots and what inspires and motivates him.

The second book will be a full-length autobiography, which will be published in autumn 2012, shortly after the Olympic Games in London.

Click HERE for the full story.

Photo source

Macka Launches 2nd book "The Real Gangsta's Wife"

Macka Diamond follows up her writing debut Bun Him with her latest release The Real Gangster's Wife. The book was launched last Friday at Moulin Rouge in Kingston.




Check out this Review by Star Online.
It was an excited Macka Diamond, who launched her new book, The Real Gangster's Wife, at Club Moulin Rouge, Constant Spring Road, last night.
The 'money goddess', who was more than two hours late to the launch, was greeted with smiles as she strolled into the venue with Captain Barkey by her side. And, when she eventually spoke, the joy she felt from publishing a second book, the first being Bun Him, was obvious.
"This has been a more up close and personal thing. Part two is already ready, that's how serious it is. We thinking about even the movie. This one nah bun nobody. We nuh write it bout nobody, but this book is real. A whole heap a sumpten happen," she said laughing.
more life, more livity
"This is is my second career. When mi get bokkle pon two stage show mi can just sell two book. Dem say diamonds are forever and I will be here forever. More books, more life, more livity."
She also joked that roles in the movie would be filled by Ishawna and her beau Foota Hype, who read excerpts from the book together, and also Lady G. In addition, she said her movie Redemption To Paradise will be shown at the Reggae Film Festival next week.
After reading, Lady G seemed like quite the supportive friend, as she said, "congratulations Macka, big-up yourself, you look like a real businesswoman."
Dancer Mystic and upcoming artiste G Whizz also read from the book. There were also many persons 'blessing up' Macka Diamond on her efforts.
Prior to speaking, Macka Diamond was surrounded by people wanting to look at or take pictures of the cake, which had a photo of the book on it. Eventually she got the opportunity to cut it with one of her fans.
After the formal launch was complete, books were sold and Macka Diamond was ready to sign them.

Ky-Mani Marley issues statement about his book "Dear Dad, Where's the family in our family

“Dear Dad: Where’s the family in our family, today?”-the story the Marley family apparently doesn't want you to know."is a semi-autobiographical book about Ky-Mani Marley's life released on Amazon.com earlier this week. I say semi as he had help from an outside source, and also because it seems their is bad blood between him and the co-writer Dr. Farrah Gray. I remember when I interviewed Ky-Mani for Caribbean Maco, he spoke of growing up in the ghetto in Florida. Life was not glitz and glamour, he did not even want to sing-at first anyways.

Well like I said the book is out, but he is not happy about what's inside. I think maybe it's a case of Ky-Mani just pouring out his heart (what some people may see as airing out his dirty laundry) and now he doesn't want the rest of the world to see. Maybe some of the information is damaging to his siblings, with whom he has a good relationship now. He issued the following statement about the issue:

I’ve done many things that I am not proud of. I have turned what was largely a destructive lifestyle and turned it into a constructive one. I chose to share my story with the hope that many may be moved to something more positive by the end of the book.

I partnered with a gentleman, Dr Farrah Gray, who I grew to have a great deal of respect for. My journey writing the book was initially very easy and I thought we had built a relationship of respect if nothing else.

During the final edit of the book, I spoke with my sister, Cedella, and I advised Dr Farrah Gray that some changes had to be made and until the changes were made, I was not willing to do any promotion for the book. I could NOT support and promote something that is not 100% mine and that I believe in. Dr Gray apparently thought that by turning something that was written from the heart into something seemingly malicious was going to benefit him in some way.

I did not mean to hurt anyone... The book was only to tell my story, as I know it... What I was led to believe while growing up. The book was not an attack on my family! I love my brothers and sisters more than anyone can know.

I did not expect that Dr Gray would have been unprofessional and malicious in twisting my words or using things that were discussed in confidence to create controversy in an attempt to sell a book.

I did NOT authorize him to make any changes to the cover of my book nor do I condone any of the captions he has written!

At this point I do not know if the content of the book has been altered in any way due to the fact that I have not communicated with Dr Farrah Gray in over a month because he has neither accepted nor returned any of my phone calls.

Damn, son. It's kind of late to unwrite the book. Will let you guys know how this develops.

Author Caroline Bell Foster makes BBC list

Author, Caroline Bell Foster has been named on the list of prominent people on Nottinghamshire's unoffical 2010 Who's who.








She has been dubbed 'The Caribbean's Leading Lady of Love'



Visit her Facebook page HERE.

41st NAACP Image Awards Nominees are out: who's got island blood?

The 41st NAACP Image Awards were announced on January 6th at a press conference at the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills.

Over 1,200 entries were received this year. From those entries, a special committee of 300 industry professionals and NAACP leaders from across the country selected five nominees in each of the 53 categories.

So lets see which Caribbean talents made the list

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Daryl “Chill” Mitchell – “Brothers” (FOX)
Donald Faison – “Scrubs” (NBC)
Dulé Hill – “Psych” (USA Network) ---JAMAICA
LaVan Davis – “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
Tyler James Williams – “Everybody Hates Chris” (CW)

Dule Hill from "Psych"

Photo source

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Corey Reynolds – “The Closer” (TNT)
Delroy Lindo – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (NBC)---JAMAICA
James Pickens, Jr. – “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
Mekhi Phifer – “Lie To Me” (FOX)
Rocky Carroll – “NCIS” (CBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Aunjanue Ellis – “Gifted Hands” (TNT)
Cicely Tyson – “Relative Stranger” (Hallmark)---ST. KITTS NEVIS
Kimberly Elise – “Gifted Hands” (TNT)
Rosie O’Donnell – “America” (Lifetime)
Ruby Dee – “America” (Lifetime)

Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Daphne Duplaix – “One Life to Live” (ABC)
Debbi Morgan – “All My Children” (ABC)
Eva Marcelle – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Tatyana Ali – “The Young and The Restless” (CBS)---PANAMA/TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Tonya Lee Williams – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)---JAMAICA

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist
Jeremih (Def Jam)
Keri Hilson (Mosley Music Group/Zone 4 Inc/Interscope Records)
K’Jon (Universal Republic Records)
Kristinia DeBarge (Def Jam)
Melanie Fiona (SRC/Universal/Motown)---GUYANA

Outstanding Male Artist
Anthony Hamilton (SoSo Def/Jive Records)
Charlie Wilson (Jive Label Group)
Jay-Z (Atlantic Records)
Maxwell (Columbia Records)---HAITI/PUERTO RICO
Ne-Yo (Def Jam)

Outstanding Female Artist
Alicia Keys (Columbia Records)---JAMAICA
India.Arie (Universal Republic Records)
Mary J. Blige (Matriarch/Geffen)
Rihanna (Def Jam)---BARBADOS
Whitney Houston (Artista Records)

Rihanna who is nominated for Outstanding Female Artist

Photo source

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
3 Mo’ Divas (MariMo’ Music Inc.)
The Black Eyed Peas (Interscope Records)
Day26 (Bad Boy Records)
Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (Atlantic Records)---JAMAICA
Jay-Z ft. Rihanna & Kanye West (Atlantic Records)---BARBADOS

Columbia Recording artist Maxwell

Photo source

Outstanding Music Video
“Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
“Boom Boom Pow” – The Black Eyed Peas (Interscope Records)
“I Look To You” – Whitney Houston (Arista)
“Pretty Wings” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)---HAITI/PUERTO RICO

“Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart” – Alicia Keys (J Records/MBK Entertainment)---JAMAICA

Outstanding Song
“Bad Habits” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)---HAITI PUERTO RICO
“Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
“Empire State of Mind” – Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (Atlantic Records)---JAMAICA
“God In Me” – Mary Mary (Columbia Records)
“Pretty Wings” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)---HAITI/PUERTO RICO (YES TWICE IN THE SAME CATEGORY)

Outstanding Album
“The Blueprint 3” – Jay-Z (Atlantic Records)
“BLACKsummers’night” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)---HAITI/PUERTO RICO
“The Element of Freedom” – Alicia Keys (J Records/MBK Entertainment)---JAMAICA
“Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” – Mariah Carey (Def Jam)
“Stronger With Each Tear” – Mary J. Blige (Matriarch/Geffen)

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington – “The Taking of Pelham 123” (Columbia Pictures)
Idris Elba – “Obsessed” (Screen Gems)---JAMAICA
Jamie Foxx – “Law Abiding Citizen” (Overture Films)
Morgan Freeman – “Invictus” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Quinton Aaron – “The Blind Side” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Adam Rodriguez – “Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself” (Lionsgate)---CUBA/PUERTO RICO
Anthony Mackie – “The Hurt Locker” (Summit Entertainment) (He plays the role of a Rasta in the upcoming movie Babylon-Can't wait to see if he pulls off the accent)

Chiwetel Ejiofor – “2012” (Columbia Pictures)
Danny Glover – “2012” (Columbia Pictures)
Lenny Kravitz – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)---THE BAHAMAS

Lenny Kravitz as Nurse John in the movie "Precious"
Photo source


Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Alfre Woodard – “American Violet” (Universal Pictures)
Mariah Carey – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
Mo’Nique – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
Paula Patton – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)---JAMAICA
Zoe Saldana – “Avatar” (Paramount Pictures)---DOMINICAN REPUBLIC/PUERTO RICO




To see all the nominees click HERE.

The awards ceremony will air from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Friday Feb. 26th, at 8PM/7C on FOX.

Rihanna penning new book.

Rihanna is said to be working on a 144 page book titled “The Last Girl on Earth”

Photo source
It is a collaboration with Simon Henwood, who designed the logo for her “Rated R” CD and is the artistic director for her upcoming . The cost of the book will be $50. You can pre-order on Amazon.com.